Twisting treadmill

ABSTRACT

A twisting treadmill comprised of a treading unit, a reciprocally turning member that also supports the treading unit, a transmission unit connecting the treading unit and the turning member; the user having both feet stepping upon the treading unit to simulate treading motion while twisting in conjunction with a rotary rhythmic device that reciprocally rotates for the user to achieve fitness purpose by treading and twisting exercises at the same time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a fitness equipment, and moreparticularly, to an improved structure of a treadmill that simulatestreading motion for its user to achieve treading and twisting exercisepurposes at the same time.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

People today often use excuses such as poor weather, or tight scheduleto lead a life with little or even no sports at all, and recognize theimportance of keeping a proper amount of sports when they find theirimmunity is deteriorating and symptoms of chronic diseases. Even so,they are reluctant to spare certain time each day to work out at aspecific site or purchase fitness equipment to work out in leisure time.

To cope with the particular needs of the modern people who needs properamount of workout while leading a busy life, fitness equipmentsimulating its best the outdoor workout patterns and allowing easyoperation have been developed such as the one illustrated in FIG. 1. Theprior art relates to a compact treadmill generally available in themarket is essentially comprised of two pedals 21 that allow verticalmovement axially pivoted to a base 10 and a hydraulic cylinder 22 or aparallel connection rod member is coupled to where between both pedals21 and the base 10. The user alternatively treads on both pedals 21 fora tread unit 20 to reciprocal move in simulation of walking movement toachieve the purpose of staying fit.

However, the treadmill of the prior art gets too monotonous to encouragecontinuous use for its user. As a result, the fitness equipment winds upin storage room for good.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a twistingtreadmill of fitness equipment to allow the user to achieve the purposeof staying fit by twisting and treading at the same time. To achieve thepurpose, the present invention is related to rhythmic rotation equipmentcomprised of a treading unit, a turning member, and a transmission unit.The treading unit reciprocally ups and down; the turning member supportsthe treading unit and engages in reciprocal rotation; and thetransmission connects the motions between the treading unit and theturning member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treadmill of the prior art. FIG. 2 (A)is a schematic view showing an operating status of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 (B) is a schematic view showing another operating status of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a treading unit of a first preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a transmission unit of the first preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the transmission unit provided with adamper of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the operation of the treading unit ofthe present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the operation of a turning member ofthe present invention.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a transmission unit of a second preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a transmission unit of a third preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 2(A), 2(B), 3, and 4, a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention includes a mechanical construction with a base 10 asthe primary member, a treading unit 20, a turning member 30, and atransmission unit. The treading unit 20 for being subject to the forceapplied by both feet of the user to proceed vertical motion pattern bysimulating the stepping and pacing movement up and down. Meanwhile, arhythmic rotation device is comprised of the treading unit 20, theturning member 30 and the transmission unit 40. As the rhythmic rotationdevice is operating and both feet of the user are stepping onto thetreading unit 20 to have vertical motions, the turning member 30 and thetreading unit 20 are engaging in reciprocal rotation for the user toachieve fitness results of twisting and treading at the same time.

Within the rhythmic rotation device, the treading unit 20 serves as anactive mechanism to provide vertical motions; the turning member 30supports the treading unit 20 to become a passive member; and thetransmission unit 40 converts kinetics from the treading unit 20 intothat of a connection mechanism to drive the transmission 40 to engage inlateral rotation to secure the connected motions between the treadingunit 20 and the turning member 30.

In the preferred embodiment, the turning member 30 is comprised of aturning table axially pivoted to the base 10. A pair of parallelconnection rods 23 to relatively engage in vertical oscillation isaxially pivoted to the peripheral of the axis of the turning member 30.Two pedals 21 are respectively provided at the distal ends of bothparallel connection rods 23. Through the connection of the pair of theconnection rods 23, the motion from the treading unit 20 when subject tothe force applied by both feet of the user on both pedals 21 producesthe motive results of alternatively vertical motion between two pedals21 as illustrated in FIG. 6.

In practice, the transmission unit 40 as illustrated in FIGS. 2(A),2(B), 3, 4, and 5, is comprised of a segment gear 41 fixed to the axisat the middle of the pair of parallel connection rods 23, and a conicalgear 42 fixed to the base 10. Wherein, the center of the conical gear 42is where a vertical shaft 31 of the turning member 30 is provided. Bothof the conical gear 42 and the segment gear 41 are engaged to eachother. When both parallel connection rods 23 relatively oscillate up anddown, the segment gear 41 laterally swings along with the axis and isforced to reciprocally roll along the surface of the teeth of theconical gear 42 since the conical gear 42 is dead thus to drive theturning member 30 and the treading unit 20 to engage in reciprocalmovement.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, an upper lid to cover the mobile rangeat the center of both parallel connection rods 23 is fixed to the base10 to improve the user safety. A damper 50 is disposed at where betweenthe turning member 30 and the base 10. A press plate 51 to producepacking force against the turning member 30 is provided to the damper 50on the side of the base 10. The press plate 51 at its end in relation tothe base 10 is screwed to the base 10 by means of a bolt 52; and the endof the press plate 51 extends into a guide slot 32 of the turning member30 by means of a pin 53 to provide positioning function depending on thedisplacement of the turning member 30. Wherein, a plate 33 extends fromthe turning member 30 towards the press plate 51. The packing by thepress plate 51 and the base 10 against the extension plate 33 isadjusted by the torque of the bolt 52 to achieve the purpose ofadjusting the amount of the force applied to the S twisting treadmill.One or a plurality of friction pad is further provided at where betweenthe press plate 51 and the extension plate 33 as well as the extensionplate 33 and the base 10 to improve the friction efficacy of the damper50.

Furthermore, as illustrate din FIG. 8, the transmission unit 40 iscomprised of a chain 43 fixed to the turning member 30 and a chain gear44 fixed to the base 10; or alternatively as illustrated in FIG. 9 thetransmission unit 40 is comprised of a steel cable 45 fixed to theturning member 30 and a pulley 46 fixed to the base. Wherein, A stud 451and a recess 461 that coupled to each other are respectively disposed tothe steel care 45 and the surface of the pulley 40 to achieve the sametransmission purpose of driving the turning member 30 to exercisereciprocal rotation.

The prevent invention provides an improvement structure of a twistingtreadmill, and the application for a utility patent is duly filedaccordingly. However, it is to be noted that that the preferredembodiments disclosed in the specification and the accompanying drawingsare not limiting the present invention; and that any construction,installation, or characteristics that is same or similar to that of thepresent invention should fall within the scope of the purposes andclaims of the present invention.

1. A rhythmic rotation device includes a base functioning as the primarymechanical part of the entire device; a turning member axially pivotedto the base; a treading unit disposed to the turning member functioningas an active mechanism for vertical motion; a transmission unit disposedat where between the turning member and the base; and both of theturning member and the treading unit engaging in reciprocal rotation asa user having his both feet stepping on the treading unit.
 2. Therhythmic rotation device of claim 1, wherein a pair of parallelconnection rods that relatively oscillate up and down is axially pivotedto the peripheral of the axis of the turning member; and two pedals arerespectively disposed at the distal ends of the pair of parallelconnection rods.
 3. The rhythmic rotation device of claim 1, wherein thetransmission unit is comprised of a segment gear fixed to the axis atthe center between two parallel connection rods and a conical gear fixedto the base.
 4. The rhythmic rotation device of claim 1, wherein thetransmission unit is comprised of a chain fixed to the turning memberand a chain gear fixed to the base.
 5. The rhythmic rotation device ofclaim 1, wherein the transmission unit is comprised of a steel cablefixed to the turning member and a pulley fixed to the base; and a studand a recess coupled to each other are respectively provided to thesteel cable and the surface of the pulley.
 6. The rhythmic rotationdevice of claim 1, wherein an upper lid is disposed to the base to coverup the operation range at where between the pair of parallel connectionrods.
 7. The rhythmic rotation device of claim 1, wherein a damper isdisposed at where between the turning member and the base.
 8. Therhythmic rotation device of claim 8, wherein a press plate is disposedto the damper on the side of the base to produce packing force againstthe turning member.
 9. The rhythmic rotation device of claim 8, whereina press plate is disposed to the damper on the side of the base toproduce packing force against the turning member; the press plate isscrewed to the base by means of a bolt at one end of the press plate atwhere in relation to the base; another end of the press platepenetrating deep into the area of the turning member extends into aguide slot of the turning member through a pin.
 10. The rhythmicrotation device of claim 9, wherein a plate extends from the turningmember toward the press plate and one or a plurality of friction pad isdisposed at where between the press plate and the extension plate aswell as between the extension plate and the base.
 11. A twistingtreadmill includes a base functioning as the primary mechanical part ofthe entire treadmill; a turning member axially pivoted to the base; atreading unit provided to the turning member, a pair of parallelconnection rods that relatively oscillate up and down being axiallypivoted to the peripheral of the axis of the turning member, two pedalsbeing respectively disposed at the distal ends of the pair of parallelconnection rods; and a transmission unit being disposed at where betweenthe turning member and the base; and both of the turning member and thetreading unit engaging in reciprocal rotation as a user has his bothfeet stepping on the treading unit.
 12. The twisting treadmill of claim12, wherein the transmission unit is comprised of a segment gear fixedto the axis at the center between two parallel connection rods and aconical gear fixed to the base
 13. The twisting treadmill of claim 12,wherein the transmission unit is comprised of a chain fixed to theturning member and a chain gear fixed to the base.
 14. The twistingtreadmill of claim 12, wherein the transmission unit is comprised of asteel cable fixed to the turning member and a pulley fixed to the base;and a stud and a recess coupled to each other are respectively providedto the steel cable and the surface of the pulley.
 15. The twistingtreadmill of claim 12, wherein an upper lid is disposed to the base tocover up the operation range at where between the pair of parallelconnection rods.
 16. The twisting treadmill of claim 12, wherein adamper is disposed at where between the turning member and the base. 17.The twisting treadmill of claim 18, wherein a press plate is disposed tothe damper on the side of the base to produce packing force against theturning member.
 18. The twisting treadmill of claim 18, wherein a pressplate is disposed to the damper on the side of the base to producepacking force against the turning member; the press plate is screwed tothe base by means of a bolt at one end of the press plate at where inrelation to the base; another end of the press plate penetrating deepinto the area of the turning member extends into a guide slot of theturning member through a pin.
 19. The twisting treadmill of claim 19,wherein a plate extends from the turning member towards the press plate;and one or a plurality of friction pad is disposed between the pressplate and the extension plate as well as between the extension plate andthe base.